GAMES TODAY
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. – Blackwater vs. NorthPort
7:30 p.m. – Ginebra vs. SMB
THE great teacher that he is, Ginebra coach Tim Cone is preaching one thing more than the Xs and Os—moving on from heartbreak.
“We aren’t thinking very much about what’s happened (in the last conference). I mean, it’s not an issue for us at this point. I think our guys are really good at moving forward and moving on. We don’t look back. We’re motivated because it’s the All-Filipino,” Cone said after the Kings made short work of the Terrafirma Dyip 101-80 last Wednesday night.
“We want to get off and get our feet wet tonight and try to get a wind under our belts. “We’re going up against San Miguel, which is always the All-Filipino favorite. We know we have a work cut out for us,” he added.
After passing its initial test with flying colors, Ginebra eyes a big repeat when it battles San Miguel Beer today in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The marquee duel is set at 7:30 p.m. after NorthPort squares off with winless Blackwater in the first offering at 5 o’clock.
The Kings fell short in the last Commissioner’s Cup to the TNT Tropang 5G in a riveting seven-game series and the relatively shorter preparation for the season-ending meet.
“June Mar (Fajardo) is always the target. You’ve got to figure out how you’re going to handle him, how much you’re going to allow him to dominate the game, and then you’ve got to pick your poison with their shooters. A lot goes into it,” Cone said. “It’s tough when you only have one day to prepare. But, it’s still early in the conference and we’re hoping that we can come back and play a little better game, which we think we need to if we’re going to stay with San Miguel.
“This is the problem with coming late into the conference is that you’re not as sharp as some of the other teams.”
Cone is seen to lean on the likes of former MVP Scottie Thompson, veteran big man Japeth Aguilar, RJ Abarrientos, Stephen Holt, Maverick Ahanmisi, and Troy Rosario. Wingman Jeremiah Gray suffered a right knee injury in the first half and left the game against Terrafirma for good.
SMB dropped a sorry 95-98 overtime loss to Magnolia last April 16 that brought down the Beermen to 2-1.
Fajardo, the reigning eight-time MVP, along with CJ Perez, Juami Tiongson, Rodney Brondial, Marcio Lassiter, and Don Trollano are mainly tasked to carry SMB.
For Cone, the import-less tilt should bring out the best in his team.
“Without him (Justin Brownlee), depth becomes an advantage without an import,” he said. “We feel we have good depth and we’ll be able to use all of that in the All-Filipino.”
The Batang Pier and Bossing swapped players in center Abu Tratter and guard James Kwekuteye, respectively. Who got the initial victory in trade will be known right away.
